The Hobbit

J. R. R. Tolkien

Illustrated by Eric Fraser

A beautiful edition of Tolkien's classic children's story. Leaving his comfortable hobbit hole Bilbo Baggins goes on a reluctant adventure to defeat a dragon, and along the way he encounters the vile, but pathetic Gollum, and his ‘Precious’ – a ring to rule them all.

The Hobbit

For more than half a century readers have journeyed alongside Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, and his nephew Frodo in The Lord of the Rings.

Bilbo Baggins is a reasonably typical hobbit: fond of sleeping, eating, drinking, parties and presents. However, it is his destiny to travel to the dwarflands in the east, to help slay the dragon Smaug. His quest takes him through enchanted forests, spiders' lairs, and under the Misty Mountains, where he comes across the vile Gollum, and tricks him out of his 'Precious' - a ring that makes its bearer invisible, and wields a terrible power of its own.

This edition is bound in parchment cloth blocked in gold, with an inset label showing Smaug the dragon. It contains 19 black-and-white illustrations by the great Eric Fraser, and endpapers printed in red and black ink, showing Thrór’s Map and Wilderland.

Production Details

Tolkien's classic children's story

Since the dawn of time, storytelling and the fantastic have gone hand in hand. All cultures have their myths – tales of gods and giants, monsters and marvels. An increasing interest in the roots of culture, together with a recognition of the importance of myth and archetype in understanding the human condition, led to a reflorescence of myth-based literature in the 20th century.

J.R.R. Tolkien, the reclusive, pipe-smoking Oxford don, was in the vanguard, and so great was his achievement that his name became virtually synonymous with the literature of fantasy.

The strength of Tolkien's work is in its fidelity to its roots, which lie in the legends of the Nordic world. Tolkien believed that the roots of myth and the roots of language are one and indivisible, and he demonstrated this belief by creating an entirely new language (Elvish) with its own grammar, its own beautiful script and its own mythology. it was a rarefied and highly personal world, yet it proved a fertile soil from which his great fantasy novels were to grow.

First of these, and for many the finest, was the tale of Bilbo Baggins, the sedentary hobbit who is persuaded by the benign wizard Gandalf into joining a treasure hunt. Bilbo survives a series of chilling adventures to become the unlikeliest of heroes in his confrontation with the dragon Smaug. These adventures are drawn from mythic roots - the river of forgetfulness, the trolls turned to stone by the touch of daylight, the ring of invisibility, the monster - and their mythic power is channelled through magnificent storytelling.

Reviews

"Who doesn't remember and love Tolkien's, the Hobbit. Serving as a mentor and inspiration to C.S. Lewis, Tolkien introduces the world to Middle-Earth and a new race of creatures including hobbits, tro..." [read more]

"Who doesn't remember and love Tolkien's, the Hobbit. Serving as a mentor and inspiration to C.S. Lewis, Tolkien introduces the world to Middle-Earth and a new race of creatures including hobbits, trolls and wizards. Our protagonist is an unassuming homebody hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. He is coerced by the wizard Gandalf to commence a journey to seek treasure wrongfully acquired and jealously guarded by Smaug, a fire-breathing dragon. Borrowing from many other literary influences and Norse mythology, Tolkien created a fantasy world that not only won awards when it was first published in the 30's but still has mass appeal today. The timeless themes of good versus evil and the possibility that ordinary "people" could be called upon to perform EXTRAordinary feats remain just as relevant today as they did at the time of their writing. The Folio Society designed a beautiful cover consisting of a gold foil embossed pattern featuring our nemesis and Bilbo's - Smaug - at its center. " [hide full review]

Review by anon on 2nd Apr 2016

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3/5

"Amazing book.
My only doubt: why black and white illustrations? in my opinion, colourful drawings whould have been much more coherent with hobbit style"

Review by jimbo@netvigator.com on 18th Jan 2016

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5/5

"For maturing children who eschew the brash immediacy of modern cultural delights such as rap and hip-hop music, 'The Hobbit' is the literary equivalent of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven'........lo..." [read more]

"For maturing children who eschew the brash immediacy of modern cultural delights such as rap and hip-hop music, 'The Hobbit' is the literary equivalent of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven'........long, old-fashioned and convoluted, yet solidly and tightly constructed of the finest materials, inspiring warm adoration and deep nostalgia. A magical tale.
This FS version is a tremendous tribute to Tolkien's imagination, skill and dedication. Absolutely full marks.
" [hide full review]